Ataq (Yeman), April 13 (IANS/AKI): Tribesmen in Yemen’s central Shabwah province and the neighbouring governorate of Abyan have taken 15 Shia Houthi rebels hostage, Al-Arabiya news channel reported on Monday.

Preparations to expel Houthi militia from Shabwah’s capital, Ataq, were on, the channel cited a commander of a coalition of tribes in Shabwah as saying.

Al-Arabiya said scores of Houthis were killed in western Taez province in two ambushes carried out by local tribes allied with Yemen’s exiled president Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi, who fled the country in late March.

Saudi Arabia and a coalition of regional countries on March 26 launched an assault by air against the Houthis, who overran the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September and expanded to other parts of Yemen.

The fighting has killed hundreds of people, including at least 74 children, according to the UN.

More than 500 Houthi militia have died in clashes with the Saudi military on the border alone since the beginning of 'Operation Decisive Storm', Al-Arabiya reported, quoting a Saudi defence ministry statement.

Iran denies Riyadh's repeated accusations that it has trained and equipped the Houthi forces.